Ingredients

Method

For the pudding:
• 125 g salted butter, at room temperature
• 150 g Muscovado sugar
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 1 T golden syrup
• 1 T molasses
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 150 g self-raising flour
• 1 t ground ginger
• 100 g Medjool dates , chopped
• 1 cup water
• 2 t bicarbonate of soda
• vanilla ice cream or cream, for serving
For the ginger caramel sauce:
• 100 g salted butter
• 150 g Muscovado sugar
• 3 T golden syrup
• 2⁄3 cup Woolworths double-thick cream
• a generous pinch sea salt
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 T fresh ginger, finely grated

Method

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C or 140°C fan. Grease a 20 cm ovenproof bowl or baking dish.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar at a high speed until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the golden syrup, molasses and vanilla and mix.

3. Sift together the flour and ginger, then fold into the wet ingredients until just incorporated.

4. Place the dates and water in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then simmer for 2 minutes. Add the bicarbonate of soda and stir until foamy and incorporated. Add to the batter while still hot and mix until just combined. Pour into the prepared dish and bake for 40–45 minutes.

5. To make the sauce place the butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan and cook until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cream, salt, vanilla and ginger and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thickened.

6. Remove from the heat. Drizzle the warm sauce over the pudding and serve with vanilla ice cream or fresh cream.

Cook's note: Pour the sauce over the pudding as soon as it comes out of the oven for best results.

Find more warm pudding recipes here. 

Photographs: Sadiqah Assur-Ismail
Recipes and production: Hannah Lewry and Claire-Ellen Van Rooyen